Abbas also performed duets he had sung with Mehnaz for movies in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s , such as “Parakh” and “Hum dono.”

He did not have many anecdotes for the audience, and the one he did share almost ended up making Mehnaz look bad.

It was about a Nigar award Mehnaz thought she would definitely win for a song that both she and Abbas had separately recorded for the same film. When Abbas won the award, he wanted Mehnaz to keep it. But Mehnaz accepted defeat gracefully and told Abbas, “You should keep it at your place, because your home is my home as well.”

The musical tribute was organised by Mausikaar Welfare Trust. The trust’s objectives are to promote classical music and support musicians by holding cultural events regularly, said Seema Khan, the president of Mausikaar.